The parking bay was transformed into a pop-up park with artificial grass, milk crates with plants, chairs, table and games. Milk crates and plants played a role as a barrier and visible identification of the pop-up park. A new public meeting place created opportunities for the community to connect and engage. Many pedestrians stopped for a chat, game or simply to check what was going on. The Park(ing) Day aimed to challenge how people think about public spaces and encourage active transport. The first event was positively received by the community.
In the following years the group continued the Park(ing) Day initiative in various locations along the Albany Highway, but this time they sought official permission and support from the local government. The Town of Victoria Park was very supportive of the activation and assisted with the process, including booking approval and waiving the booking fees. Again the initiative was positively received and many people stopped to learn more or joined in. The community and local businesses were very supportive.
Process
- Building relationship with the council officers and seeking support
- Seeking the right location and approval/support from the businesses that align with the vision of the initiative
- Parking bay booking application
- Parking bay booking approval was granted and fee was waived by the council for the community use
- The Town of Victoria Park provided safety bollards to mark the bay and ensure safety of the participants
- At the end of the day, the group packed up and left the bay in the condition it was found.
Publicity / Messaging
In 2017 local newspapers attended the event and published an article about the Park(ing) Day which also helped with promoting the idea and spreading the movement.
Doing Checklist
How to do Park(ing) Day
